Her smile went crooked. "Guess my secret's out."

"What secret?"

She shot him a shy, sideways look. "I was in love with you for a long time before we actually started dating. Even back in college, I loved you." She nodded at the picture. "It shows, there."

"Kinda looks like I loved you too."

She nudged his shoulder with hers. "Men are just slower on the uptake about some things."

"A-fucking-men," he muttered. "How about seven years slow?"

She huffed out a sad little laugh. "I was so confused. I had feelings for both you and Zack. I knew it was wrong and weird, especially when you guys just wanted to be friends with me. I remember thinking if I had to choose, which one of you would it be? And I knew I couldn't choose, and then I'd be all depressed because really...I couldn't have either of you."

"Oh, sweetheart." He turned and kissed her temple. "I didn't know you felt like that back then."

"I know. I wouldn't have told you. After Zack left...well, you were there and I still loved you. It was amazing and wonderful and thrilling that you loved me too." She sighed. Then she started thinking. "Zack took this. He must've seen it. How we felt about each other."

They both went rigid. They turned and looked at each other wide-eyed.

"I don't think he knew," Maddie whispered. "That I loved him too."

"Or that I did too," Aidan said. "I didn't even know it myself."

They sat and stared at the images.

"We should hang them." Maddie stood. She set the picture of her and Aidan on the dresser.

"Yeah."

They ate their sandwiches without much enthusiasm, watched a TV show, and went to bed.

________.

Monday morning, Aidan and Maddie went to work as they always did. Neither of them had slept well, and though Maddie did a good job with her makeup, there was no hiding her puffy eyelids and the shadows hugging her lower lids.

But when Aidan got to his office, he didn't get to work. He asked his assistant to cancel all his meetings that day.

"But you're having lunch with the mayor," Julie said, bug-eyed.

"Doesn't matter. Tell him something came up and we'll reschedule."

Then he went online and booked a flight to Washington. There was one leaving at noon. He debated over the return flight, with numerous options, but ended up not booking one. He'd do it there, if he couldn't find Zack. He had a hard time thinking that far ahead. Then it took a bit of searching on Google and a few phone calls to find the hotel Zack was staying at. The Four Seasons. Jesus. And he'd worried about Zack having money.

That left barely enough time to pack up his laptop and cell phone and get to O'Hare.

He'd spent a good part of the night thinking about things. He might be crazy, but he found himself wondering if Zack really had wanted to leave. He found himself wondering the real reason Zack had left so abruptly seven years ago. And he knew he couldn't let him go without finding out.

A few hours later he was in a taxi and on his way to Georgetown from Dulles.

In the lobby of the Four Seasons, he called Zack's cell number. It went to voice mail. He swallowed an impatient sigh. "Zack. It's Aidan. It's Monday afternoon. Call me when you get this."

He looked around the elegant lobby. Though he figured Zack must be out somewhere, he used a house phone and asked to be put through to Zack's room. No answer there either, but he didn't bother to leave a voice mail.

He parked himself in a comfortable chair with a view of the street entrance, prepared to hang out there all day if need be. Zack had to pass by on his way to the elevators to get to his room. Assuming he came in the front entrance. Odds were on that.

Aidan pulled out his laptop and booted it up to check email. Might as well be a little productive, after blowing off a whole day including lunch with the mayor, and with the mayor's schedule who knew when that was going to happen again. Some day he'd probably kick himself for that, but right then he didn't give a shit.

A couple of hours later he was bored and antsy. He debated going into the lounge for a drink, but with his luck Zack would walk by when his back was turned downing a scotch.

Another hour later he was fucking starving. His laptop told him it was nearly six.

And then finally something went right. He looked up as someone walked into the lobby, as he had all afternoon, hyper-alert and on edge. This time it was Zack.

Aidan stood. In his suit and shiny dress shoes, he didn't look out of place in the elegant lobby. Zack...well, Zack never looked out of place, but his worn jeans, Doc Martens, shaggy curls and scruff of beard stood out. Or maybe he stood out just because it was him.

Aidan grabbed his laptop case, squared his shoulders and started forward. Zack neared him, caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye, then whipped his head around again in a double take.

"What the fuck?" His feet halted on the shiny stone floor.

Aidan gave him a grim smile. "Dude. You didn't return my call."

Zack's eyes shifted. "Uh. No. Christ, what are you doing here?"

"We need to talk."

Zack stared at him. "Can't believe this." He shook his head. "You came all the way here to talk?"

"Yep."

"Everything okay?" Zack frowned. "Maddie...?"

"Maddie's fine. Heartbroken, but fine."

"Heart...what?"

"Come on. Let's go to your room." Aidan jerked his head toward the elevators.

Zack muttered another curse, but started toward the elevator. They rode in silence to the fifth floor, then Aidan followed Zack into his room. A quick glance took in the small-ish room-paneled white walls, light-colored carpet, sleek dark wood bed, a night table and a dresser. Two dark leather chairs with beige upholstery flanked a round table in front of the window.

Zack tossed the key card onto the dresser and gestured at the chairs. "Have a seat."

"No. First I have to do this." He moved up to Zack, crowding into his space, grabbed his face in both hands and kissed him.

Zack's lips were rigid, his entire body stiff. He made a low noise in his throat and jerked back. "What the fuck?"

"Kiss me." It was Aidan's turn to take charge. He knew he had to do this. He tilted his head and crashed his mouth over Zack's again. Zack made another noise, half groan, half sob, and curled his hands around Aidan's wrists. But he didn't shove him way. He kissed him back.

Aidan opened his mouth on his and slid his tongue inside, tasting Zack, breathing in his scent. He shook off Zack's hands and slid one of his own around into Zack's silky curls, cupping his head. And Zack kissed him back.

Their bodies slammed together, hard chest to hard chest, both of them hot and vibrating. Zack's hands went to Aidan's waist, fingers digging in painfully as he pulled him closer still. Their pelvises bumped, Aidan's dick hardening almost painfully.

He licked inside Zack's mouth, then over his bottom lip, took it between his teeth and gave a sharp bite that made Zack hiss. Then he drew back. He stared into those neon blue eyes with steady intent.

"Why are you doing this?" Zack closed his eyes, his voice strangled.

"Because I fucking love you."

Zack's features tightened even more, his mouth becoming a thin, straight line, eyes squeezed up. "Fuck you."

"Yeah. I hope so."

Zack's eyes flew open and Aidan gave him a crooked smile. One corner of Zack's mouth lifted in reluctant response. Aidan shoved him away. "Sit," he said. "We still need to talk."

Chapter Twenty-Three.

Zack tried to get his head around what was happening. And failed. He managed to take the three steps to the nearest chair and drop into it. Aidan sat in the other and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. The dark suit he wore was impossibly sexy, fitted to his broad shoulders, the silky gray shirt beneath stretched across what Zack knew was a wide, muscled chest. Narrow pants covered his long legs, hitched to reveal dark socks and shiny dark dress shoes.

Aidan loved him?

"Why'd you leave?" Aidan asked.

Zack shook his head. "I'm going back to work. You knew that."

"No. Why'd you leave seven years ago? You never said goodbye. You never came back. We never had that talk about why that was. We're having it right fucking now." Then he stiffened. "Wait. What time is it?"

Zack shook his head and glanced at the alarm clock beside the bed. "Six-thirty."

"Fuck. I gotta phone Maddie."

Zack watched in confusion as Aidan pulled out his iPhone and called Maddie. "I'm gonna be home late," he told her. "Go ahead and eat. How're you doing?" His tone softened. He listened, and nodded, eyes crinkling up. "Okay. Be there as soon as I can. Love you." He ended the call and dropped the phone to the table.

"She doesn't know you're here?"

"No." Aidan fixed a stern look on him. "I didn't want to get her hopes up, in case you're going to be a stupid asshole."

Zack swallowed. "Uh. Okay."

"So. Why'd you leave?"

Zack sighed. "I had a job. That was it."

"Bullshit."

Zack's mouth tightened.

"We saw the pictures you left in the closet."

Zack nodded slowly. "Yeah. That was a mistake. No idea what possessed me to get all those prints made and framed when I have nowhere to put them. Just toss 'em in the garbage if you want."

"As if." Aidan rolled his eyes. "They're amazing and you know it. Stop with the self-deprecating bullshit, okay?"

Zack drew back. Whoa. Aidan was kicking his ass here.

"We saw the picture you took of us." Aidan shook his head, forehead creased. "Neither of us remembers exactly where or when that was. But...it looked like we were about to rip each other's clothes off."

"Yeah." Zack bent his head. "That was what it looked like."

"Dude. Maddie never told me that before, but when we saw that picture, she admitted she was in love with me way back then."

Zack nodded, staring at the way the denim over his knees was lighter in color, ignoring the pain in his chest.

"But she was also in love with you."

Zack's shoulders stiffened and his head jerked. He looked up at Aidan cautiously. "What?"

"Apparently back in college she was confused. She loved us both, but figured there was no way she could have us both. She was miserable about that."

Something fluttered in Zack's belly and heat spread through him. "I don't understand."

"I know." One corner of Aidan's mouth lifted. "As for me...in that picture it sure looks like I cared about her too. And I did. Maybe my feelings for her were more than friendship. Maybe I was in denial. I don't know. But there wasn't anything happening between us then." He paused. "Look at me."

Zack met his eyes, his entire body burning with the remembered pain and rejection.

"You know that, right?" Aidan said. "Nothing."

"I thought...something seemed to be happening between you two. I was leaving anyway, but I couldn't stick around and watch you two together."

Aidan's mouth softened and his eyes darkened. "Fuck." He bent his head. "Yeah, we ended up together, but it was years later. Maddie had a year of college after we graduated. It wasn't until after she'd finished school that things changed between us."

Zack stared at Aidan's bent head. "So you're saying I fucked off and tortured myself for years thinking about you two together for nothing?"

"Well, we did end up together. But back then...nothing." Aidan lifted his eyes to meet Zack's again. "If you'd stayed in touch you would have known that. Or if you'd stuck around long enough to find out the truth, you would have known that. But you ran."

Zack rubbed his forehead. "Sure. Call me a coward. I ran away. Because it fucking hurt, man! I loved you both, so fucking much."

He caught the relief that passed over Aidan's face, turning into...wonder.

"But yeah...like Maddie, I knew I couldn't have you both. When I thought you two were falling in love, that meant I was shut out. It fucking killed me." His voice broke and he paused, trying to get control. "Shit." He hated admitting his feelings, even if they had been seven years ago. It made him weak and pathetic. Rejected.

"I never knew that." Aidan pressed his lips together and turned away for a moment. Zack studied his profile, the straight nose, flat cheekbones and strong chin. "Not gonna lie. If you'd told me that back then, I don't know how I would've reacted. But I do know, when you left like that, it hurt. Like a motherfucker. I missed you so damn much."

"You had Maddie."